My, That's a Big Dottle You Have!

[futureman]

I tend to wrestle with thicker flakes (FVF is a good example). Even when I manage to enjoy a longer smoke with few relights, I still usually leave a big dottle--so much so that I'm afraid I'm wasting tobacco. I'm not a particularly wet smoker, either. Perhaps I need to let the flakes dry more? And should I avoid pipes with deep, narrow chambers when smoking flakes?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[jpmcwjr]

I'd try the dry more option first. Especially some time to dry after rubbing out, if that's what you do. In tact flakes take a long time to dry in my experience.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Answer one question for yourself, did you really enjoy the smoke? If the answer is a solid yes, the dottle is irrelevant. More drying, maybe running a pipe cleaner through a time or two while smoking might help.

 

[romaso]

Maybe you're packing too tight at the bottom of the bowl? When I started years ago I found a pamphlet from the 1940's that said the first third of the bowl should be packed like a baby, the middle third like a woman, and the top third like a man.

 

[bullet08]

Do you tamp? If so, go easy. More you tamp, more you compact the tobacco at the bottom. Sometimes, that prevent enough air to get to them and they don't burn. But, don't worry too much about dottle, unless it's a half the bowl.

 

[shanez]

I still usually leave a big dottle--so much so that I'm afraid I'm wasting tobacco.

Mon dieu! You could be out a whole fifty cents!

Put less in the chamber next time.

People often under estimate how much they can get out of a good flake.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cube cut the flake, let the cubes dry overnight, and gravity fill them into the pipe.

 

[Mtlpiper]

You could always embrace it and try the old Sherlock Holmes trick of drying your dottle on the mantlepiece and having it as an early morning pipe... one has to be economical.

 

[kcghost]

You may be over stuffing your pipe.Pack it a little lighter and see how it does.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

SG FVF is notorious for being difficult to keep lit. It needs more drying time than most tobaccos.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

There's no need for dottle.
Simply make up your mind that you want to change your smoking technique, so you end up with no bottle or moisture at all, and you will get there.

Yeah that's what I did 10 years ago, doesn't make a scrap of difference weather the tobacco is moist or dry. I prefer it moist myself.

Abandon all pipe cleaners down the stem while smoking, filters, or anything else that isn't just a pipe and tobacco.
Technique alone is all that's required. Honestly.

 

[Grangerous]

There's no need for dottle.
Simply make up your mind that you want to change your smoking technique, so you end up with no bottle or moisture at all, and you will get there.

Yeah that's what I did 10 years ago, doesn't make a scrap of difference weather the tobacco is moist or dry. I prefer it moist myself.

Abandon all pipe cleaners down the stem while smoking, filters, or anything else that isn't just a pipe and tobacco.
Technique alone is all that's required. Honestly.

I agree. We can always slow our cadence. — but like most good advice, it’s seldom heeded until a day of self discovery.

Try this. Smoke an entire bowl without drawing except for during the light.

Once lit, clench it, forget about it and allow it to burn. Breath through your nose. No conscious drawing or creating plumes of smoke. Just let it smolder while you go about your business.

Just wisps of smoke coming from the bowl and spilling from your mouth to let you know it’s lit.

You’ll find that your pipe will stay lit. The tobacco will burn steadily and there will be little to no moisture.

You’ll taste plenty.

I also prefer some moisture. I don’t dry my tobacco.

 

[danielplainview]

When I get to the bottom and it turns soggy and sour, I just dump it. Life is too short for bad smokes.